A number of cholesterol medications used to lower LDL ("bad cholesterol") can also raise HDL. Studies using statins have reported a modest 5 to 10 percent increase in HDL levels. Nicotinic acid has been shown to raise HDL levels by 15 to 35 percent. Fibrates have been shown to increase HDL by 10 to 15 percent.
Estrogen
Estrogen tends to increase HDL. This is one reason why it is thought that premenopausal women are protected from heart disease. In fact, in studies where women took estrogen, HDL levels increased by up to 10 percent. However, estrogen is currently not a recommended treatment for raising levels of HDL because of the increased risk for developing certain diseases and conditions (see Hormone Replacement Therapy for more information).
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